A Frenchman who is suspected of murdering a Muslim worshipper in southern France has been arrested in Italy and is to be extradited.
Aboubakar Cissé was stabbed to death at the Hatice Mosque in La Grand-Combe on 25 April in a brutal, Islamophobic attack.
Cissé was a Malian national in his early twenties, and was attacked while praying alone at the mosque in the early morning.
Security footage showed the attacker entering the mosque and mimicking prayer movements. He was later identified as 20-year-old Olivier H. who is alleged to have stabbed Cissé up to 50 times.
The attacker filmed the murder on his phone while shouting insults against Islam. The footage reportedly showed him shouting “I did it” and cursing the name of Allah. After the attack, he fled the scene on a bicycle.
The suspect is expected to arrive in France in early May. French authorities will formally charge and question him once extradited.
The victim, known for his kindness and community spirit, had lived in the town for several years and was employed as a mason. He had recently earned a professional certificate and regularly volunteered at the mosque. His death has shocked the town and sparked wider calls for increased protection for Muslim places of worship across France.
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Olivier H. fled France shortly after the murder and crossed the border into Italy by train. He took refuge in the Tuscan city of Pistoia with his paternal aunt.
According to media reports, the aunt became aware of his actions and convinced him to turn himself in. He surrendered to local police on 27 April. Authorities in Italy confirmed his identity and placed him in custody pending extradition.
An extradition hearing was held in Florence, during which the suspect agreed to be handed over to French authorities. He waived his right to contest extradition, allowing the process to move quickly.
French officials say he will be brought directly before an investigating magistrate in Nîmes. A formal investigation has already been opened for premeditated murder with a religious-hate motive.
Although Olivier H. told Italian police he was not motivated by religion and claimed he simply attacked the “first person he saw,” French prosecutors say the evidence contradicts that.
The video he recorded at the scene included multiple anti-Islamic slurs. Authorities also say he expressed interest in becoming a serial killer, indicating he may have intended to carry out further attacks.
Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau ordered heightened security around French mosques following the killing. President Emmanuel Macron condemned the murder, saying that religious hatred has no place in the French Republic.
Muslim leaders and advocacy groups criticised what they saw as a slow response and called for equal treatment of anti-Muslim violence.
A silent march was held in La Grand-Combe on 28 April, with over a thousand people attending to honour the victim. Solidarity demonstrations also took place in Paris, where left-wing politicians joined members of the Muslim community in denouncing Islamophobia.
The French Council of the Muslim Faith called the attack an act of anti-Muslim terror and urged authorities to ensure mosques are better protected.
Public outrage over the killing has grown as France faces a broader rise in Islamophobic incidents. According to official figures, anti-Muslim acts rose by 72% in the first quarter of 2025 compared to the previous year. Advocacy groups warn that hostile political rhetoric and media narratives contribute to this climate of hate.
